2020 Nonfiction Award Nominations

In addition to the finalists and award winner, YALSA publishes a list of vetted nominations for the Nonfiction Award. Seals for nonfiction nominees are available in the ALA Store and may be purchased in bulk. Click YALSA's Award Seals webpage for more information.

Vetted List for Nonfiction 2020

**Finalist on Shortlist

*Winner

Bausum, Ann. Viral: The Fight against AIDS in America. Viking. 9780425287200. A compassionate, well-researched narrative of the bleakest years of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, focusing on the activists who worked for life-saving action.

Beil, Karen Magnuson. What Linnaeus Saw: A Scientist’s Quest to Name Every Living Thing. Norton Young Readers. 9781324004684. Carl Linnaeus defied family and cultural expectations of the early eighteenth century, turning his back on the church to study botany and develop the system of classifying living organisms that is still used today. From the mysterious animal that prowls the opening pages to the controversial sexing of plants, readers will be enthralled and entertained by the life and work of this unexpected scientist.

Boyce, Jo Ann Allen and Debbie Levy. This Promise of Change: One Girl's Story in the Fight for School Equality. Bloomsbury. 9781681198521. In 1956, Jo Ann Allen Boyce became one of the first 12 students to desegregate her high school in Clinton, Tennessee. In this accessible memoir in verse, Boyce and coauthor Debbie Levy combine careful research and multiple forms of poetry to tell this important story.

Bronski, Michael and Richie Chevat. A Queer History of the United States for Young People. Beacon Press. 9780807056127. From the nonbinary Publick Universal Friend, who preached against slavery, to Marsha P. Johnson, the transgender activist and Stonewall vanguard, the largely erased history of queer people in this country is brought to life in this adapted version for young readers. Thanks to a stirring call to arms and a heartfelt tribute, young people will find reason to question why history is only taught through a single lens.

** Curlee, Lynn. The Great Nijinsky: God of Dance. Charlesbridge Teen. 9781580898003. With striking portraits and bold prose, Curlee details the life of the prodigal dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, who, unencumbered by sexuality or gender norms, rapidly ascends to stardom before tragically succumbing to mental illness. Curlee pushes the boundaries of the traditional young-adult biography with extravagant design and uncompromising frankness.

Engle, Margarita. Soaring Earth: A Companion Memoir to Enchanted Air. Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 9781534429536. In her signature free-verse poetry, Engle continues the memoir started in Enchanted Air, exploring her personal and familial life against the backdrop of world events between 1968-1973.

Favreau, Marc. Spies: The Secret Showdown between America and Russia. Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers. 9780316545921. This seamlessly woven, epic account of spies in the Cold War is a page-turner with memorable, complex characters, thrilling scenes, and clearly explained historical context. Thoroughly researched, with significant back matter, this contribution to Cold War literature will transport readers into the feeling of the era.

Grimes, Nikki. Ordinary Hazards. Wordsong. 9781629798813. In fiery, passionate verse, Grimes delivers a gut-punch of a memoir that unpacks the trauma of her youth, including her mother's mental illness, her displacement in the foster system, and her rape at the hands of her stepfather. A profoundly moving story that champions grit and determination in the face of adversity.

** Heiligman, Deborah. Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of “The Children's Ship”. Henry Holt. 9781627795548. In 1940, the passenger ship City of Benares set sail from Britain carrying 200 passengers, many of them children, hoping to escape the ravages of war. Before they can reach safety, the ship is struck by a torpedo, and a tragic race to save the passengers begins. Cinematic language, extensive back matter, archival photos and dramatic illustrations bring this suspenseful and devastating story to life.

Jarrow, Gail. The Poison Eaters: Fighting Danger and Fraud in Our Food and Drugs. Calkins Creek. 9781629794389. At once engrossing and horrifying, The Poison Eaters describes Dr. Harvey Wiley's mission to provide the public with safe, reliable food and drugs, leading to the creation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Jarrow’s use of original documents, including vintage ads, labels, and newspaper headlines, gives readers a taste for the time period.

Lourie, Peter. Locked in Ice: Nansen’s Daring Quest for the North Pole. Henry Holt. 9781250137647. Combining epic adventure with biography, this riveting tale of Fridtjof Nansen explores how he and his crew survived years in the frigid north in pursuit of scientific discovery. Extensive back-matter, historic photographs, and documents are well incorporated, immersing readers in the smells, sights, and sounds of the Arctic.

Markham, Lauren. The Far Away Brothers: Two Teenage Immigrants Making a Life in America. Delacorte Press. 9781984829771. A vivid and detailed account of two brothers’ trip to El Norte (U.S.A.) from San Salvador. The story includes the troubles the family faces at home and the problems that each brother faces navigating the United States as an immigrant.

** Marrin, Albert. A Light in the Darkness: Janusz Korczak, His Orphans, and the Holocaust. Alfred A. Knopf. 9781524701208. A heart-wrenching look at the history of the Warsaw Ghetto, told by comparing the philosophies of Doctor Janusz Korczak, a pediatrician-turned-orphanage-director who championed children’s rights, and Adolf Hitler, a racist fanatic whose polices murdered and manipulated children. This masterfully woven story is meticulously documented and asks tough, resonant questions about good and evil.

McCreary, Michael. Funny, You Don't Look Autistic: A Comedian's Guide to Life on the Spectrum. Annick Press. 9781773212579. Canadian stand-up comedian McCreary slays damaging stereotypes surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) one joke at a time by providing readers with an inspiring combination of accurate science, engaging anecdotes, and empowering messages about living with Autism.

Miller, Sarah. The Miracle & Tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets. Schwartz & Wade. 9781524713812. A riveting, well-researched biography on the five identical Dionne quintuplets, born in 1934, who were raised by the government and brought up in isolation. Miller uses interviews, historical documents and newspaper articles to give an unbiased account of the sisters’ birth, separation from their family, rise to fame, and troubled adulthoods.

Noah, Trevor. It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime. Delacorte Press. 9780525582168. Noah explores universal challenges in childhood and adolescence through the lens of his experiences coming of age in pre- and post-apartheid South Africa. Hilarious anecdotes, universal insights, and stories about his fierce and loving mother detail how this television hosts got his start.

* Ogle, Rex. Free Lunch. Norton Young Readers. 9781324003601. An honest and engrossing account of Ogle’s sixth-grade year, his family’s experience with poverty, and its effect on their relationships. Ogle captures the voice and emotion of his young self in this powerful story of trauma and resilience.

Sandler, Martin W. 1919: The Year That Changed America. Bloomsbury. 9781681198019. Race relations, temperance, women’s suffrage, workers’ rights, communist scares, and a molasses flood are all exquisitely discussed in this focus on one year in history. Sandler follows each topic’s influences on current events, providing context and connection for further advancement.

Sheinkin, Steve. Born to Fly: The First Women’s Air Race Across America. Roaring Brook Press. 9781626721302. With lively narration, Sheinkin tells the story of the 20 eager and fearless female pilots who rose above an atmosphere of sexism, tension, and sabotage to compete in the Women’s Air Derby of 1929.



Walker, Sally M. Deadly Aim: The Civil War Story of Michigan’s Anishinaabe Sharpshooters. Henry Holt. 9781250125255. An important contribution to both Native American and Civil War history, this book details the trials faced by the brave Ogitchedaw warriors of Company K, from disease and imprisonment to racism in the U.S. Army. This impeccably researched saga is a tragic and triumphant tale of close-knit communities and people’s perseverance in the face of land loss and cultural change.

Warren, Andrea. Enemy Child: The Story of Norman Mineta, a Boy Imprisoned in a Japanese American Internment Camp during World War II. Margaret Ferguson Books. 9780823441518. The captivating true story of a Japanese American boy, sent from his home in Southern California to live in a government internment camp during World War II, who went on to become a member of Congress and serve in two Presidents’ cabinets. Warren's skilled portrayal of Mineta's experience uses extensive research, interviews, and archival photographs to convey an emotional, complicated time with compassion, while also highlighting the unexpected joys and serendipitous occurrences that shape one's life.

** Wein, Elizabeth. A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II. Balzer + Bray. 9780062453013. A thrilling, richly detailed account of the female Russian aviation regiments who fought in World War II as pilots, mechanics and navigators. Through extensive research, descriptive personal stories, and examples of overcoming misogynist social norms, this powerful story shows the bravery and camaraderie needed to change history.